Remote work certainly has its perks, but for many of us, it also has its challenges. In this blog series, we’ll focus on the home office, discussing ways to adapt and conquer—both as an employer and an employee. This is post 22 of the series. You can follow the rest of the series and read our past posts here.
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As a large portion of the workforce has switched to remote work, employers have had to overcome a large amount of obstacles along the way. Between new concerns over productivity and having to make new technologic investments, it can be easy to let certain things slip through the cracks. When you aren’t seeing your staff on a regular basis and communication changes, showing employee appreciation can easily become one of the things you’re not adequately prioritizing.
If you’re working with remote staff for the foreseeable future, demonstrating employee appreciation is key to keeping team morale and productivity high. Not only does doing so make them more satisfied, but taking the proper measures to show they are valued and supported helps to solidify your status as a good leader. Thinking about how you can best prove your employee appreciation? Here are five ways of doing so:
Having to adapt to a new work environment presents a variety of challenges for your employees, and the stress of these changes can cause fatigue and burnout. As a result, it’s important for you to acknowledge and celebrate your staff for rising to the occasion and succeeding during such an abrupt transition. If you’re hosting a virtual meeting for your staff, be sure to specifically highlight groups and individuals when they achieve certain goals or hit specific company milestones.
Being willing to listen to and address feedback from your staff is an often forgotten method of showing employee appreciation. Your staff wants to know that their voice and concerns are valued, and that expressing them to you as their manager will ultimately make a difference. To allow for employee feedback, set up meetings with your team on a consistent basis to go over their workload and any concerns they may have. By doing so, your team will know that they have a voice and that their feedback is valued.
Key motivators for staff are growth and advancement opportunities. Both are proven signs of employee appreciation, as they show your team that you value and trust them to take on more responsibilities. If you have people on your staff who want to grow their skillset, be open to their pursuit of professional development. If possible, you should take the time to mentor and help guide them on their journey. Showing that you’re invested in their personal and professional growth will make your staff feel more valued as an employee, and will likely encourage them to stay with your company!
Employees want to know that their managers aren’t just invested in them on a professional level, but on a personal level as well. Since employees can see their work-life balance take a hit when working remotely, you’ll want to schedule time for you and your team to catch up on a regular basis. Whether it’s a virtual happy hour or lunch break, taking the time to check in with your team will give them the reassurance they need that you value them and care about what is going on in their personal and professional lives. Read also: 6 Virtual Team Building Activities To Boost Morale
While virtual get-togethers and professional development opportunities are great, sometimes sending a physical token of your appreciation can go a long way! If it’s within your means, sending out a small gift can be an extra way to communicate your employee appreciation. Some ways you can do this are by sending company-branded swag, giving them extra vacation time, or sending something to celebrate personal milestones like birthdays and anniversaries. If you go the extra mile to show your employees that you appreciate them, it can help build strong relationships between you and your staff in the future.
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